Three-way switch for store-service



(No Mode1,) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. L. GILES.

THREE WAY SWITCH FOR STORE. SERVICE. No. 333,743.. Patented Jan. 5, 1886.

N. FETUS, Phuhrlaflmgmphur, Washington. a. c.

(No Model.) Q 2 SheetsSheet 2.,

' E. L; GILES.

THREE WAY SWITCH FOR STORE SERVICE.

No. 833,743. Patented Jan. 5, 1886.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN L. GILES, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

THREE-WAY SWITCH FOR STORE-SERVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 333.743, dated January 5, 1886. Application filed June 5, 1885. Serial No. 167,758. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN L. GILES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Three Way Switches for Store-Service, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of storeservice apparatusin which cylindrical carriers travel upon ways; and my invention consists in aswitch device whereby graduated carriers are caused to adjust twopivoted tongues so as to automatically direct the carriers, according to their destination,to either of two branch ways or maintain them upon the main track, In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View showing the main track and branches of a store service way with my improved switch device. Figs. 2 and 3 areplan views of the same parts, showing them in different positions. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 12, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow, the scale being enlarged. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section on the line3 4, Fig. 4.. v

AA represent different portions of the main track, and B and 0 adjacent portions of branch tracks, the outer rails 60 a of the branch tracks merging with the outer rails 12 b of the portion A of the main track, and the inner rails, c c, of the branch tracks joining the ends of the rails d d of the portion A of the main track and forming points to which are pivoted the switch-tongues h h. When the switchtongues h h are apart and parallel to each other, they form continuations of the main track, as shown in Fig. 2, so that a spherical carrier passing in the direction of the arrow will keep a straightcourse. When thetongues h h are swung toward the rail a, the tongue it forms a continuation of the rail 0 of the branch track 0, and carriers moving in the direction of the arrow will pass to the branch 0. When both the tongues are carried to the rail a, the tongue h will form a continuation of the rail 0, and carriers moving in the direction of the arrow will pass to the branch B.

In order that the different carriers may be directed to such portions of the track as will insure their delivery at the proper stations, I use graduated carriers and appliances operated thereby to adjust the switch-tongues according to the sizes of the carriers. Different appliances may be employed for effecting this adjustment. Ihave shown in the drawings a shaft and connections whereby the movement of the said shaft to a certain extent carries the In the device illustrated in the drawings, E

is the pendent arm, which is threaded, and passes through the hub of a rock-shaft, F, supported by a yoke or bail, G, extending over.

the track, and to the said shaft are secured two other arms, H H, provided with lugs 73 6, arranged to strike shoulders a n of levers I I, each pivoted to one of the sides of the yoke G. To a cross-bar, J, extending beneath the yoke G, are pivoted two bell-crank levers,K K,the lever K being pivoted at a point, x, between the tracks b b, and thelever K being pivoted at a point, :0, outside the track b. One arm of the lever K enters a slot in the lower end of the lever I, and the other arm passes through an eye, m, at the under side of the tongue h, r

and one arm of the lever K enters a slot in the lower end of the lever I, and the other arm of the lever K enters an eye, m, beneath the tongue h. The shaft .F is provided with a weighted arm, 1), which tends to swing the When carriers too small to strike the arm Etravel in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, they will be carried to the branch C. When carriers of a larger size strike the arm E and rock the shaft F sufficiently to cause the, lugi of the arm H to strike and pass from the shoulder a of the lever I, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 5. the lever K will be vibrated to carry the tongue 71. to the position shown in Fig. 2, and the carrier will pass to the portion A of the main track. When a larger carrier strikes the lever E, the shaft F will be rocked to a greater extent, and the lug 11 of the arm H will strike and pass over the shoulder n of the lever I, and vibrate the latter so as to carry the tongues h h to the position shown in Fig. 3, when the carrier will pass to the branch B.

It will be obvious that different mechanical movements may be employed for transferring the motion from the arm or part struck by the carriers to the tongues. For instance, there may be' two shafts F and two arms E, the latter being of different lengths; but I donot here claim this construction, as the same constitutes the subject of a separate application for Letters Patent.

It will be seen that when a single shaft F is employed it is desirable to permit a slight play of the shaft after the tongue h has been set to the position shown in Fig. 2, and before the position of the tongue h is changed. This is secured by arranging the shoulders n and 42 upon the levers I and 1, so that after the arm H passes from contact with the shoulder at the shaft F can swing to a limited extent before the arm H engages with the shoulder n of the lever I. It will be evident that lost motion may be secured to produce the same effect by widening the slots a: at the lower ends of the levers I I. It will vfurther be evident that any of the various mechanical equivalents for levers may be substituted for the levers K K and I I.

The shaft F and its arm E may ofcourse be arranged below the track, or at oneside, and any mechanical equivalent for the arm may be used, with connections between it and the tongues totransfer the motion imparted by the graduated carriers.

It is of course important that the tongues h h shall extend sufficiently near to the arm, or other device operated by the carriers, to permit the latter to pass onto the tongue after the same is adjusted, and before the carrier passes from the operating device, so that the tongue will be retained in its position by the weight of the carrier until the latter passes onto the stationary portion of the track.

Without limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown, I claim 1. The combination, with a main track and two branch tracks, of two switch-tongues pivoted at the junctions of the tracks, and appliances, substantially as described, arranged adjacent to the track, to be operated by graduranged to be struck by graduated balls, and connections between the arm and the tongues, whereby one or both of the latter are moved, according to the extent of the movement of the arm, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the main and branch tracks, tongues pivoted at the intersection of the tracks, of aweight holding the tongues normally in one position, and appliances, substantially as described, arranged to be operated by graduated carriers to move the tongues, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the main and branch tracks and pivoted tongues, of a weight whereby the tongues are held normally in one position, and an arm arranged to be struck by graduated carriers, and connected to move the tongues according to the extent to which the arm is swung, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the main and branch tracks, tongues pivoted at the intersection of the tracks, a swinging arm arranged to be struck by graduated carriers, and connections between the arm and each tongue, arranged, substantially as described, to'permit a limited movement of the arm after the position of one tongue is changed, and before the movement of the other tongue, for the purpose set forth,

6. The combination, with the main and branch tracks and pivoted tongues, of a shaft carrying an arm arranged to be struck by graduated carriers, and with two arms, each engaging with a lever, and connections between each lever and one of the tongues, substantially as set forth. 7. The combination, with themain-and branch tracks and pivoted switch-tongues, of a rock-shaft provided with three arms, levers I I, each-engaging with one of said arms, and levers K K, each engaging with one of the levers I I and with=one of the tongues, sub stantially as described.

8. The combination, with the main-and branch tracks and pivoted tongues, of a weightedrock-shaft provided with three arms, levers I I, having shoulders n n a", arranged as described, and levers K K, constituting connections: between the levers I I and the tongues, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, with the switch-tongues and tracks, of switch adjusting appliances constructed to be operated by carriers, substantially as described,and arranged in proximity to the loose ends of the tongues, to permit the carriers to pass upon the tongues before 'leaving the -adj usting devices, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWIN L. GILES.

. Witnesses:

E. F. ENDIOOTT, C. W.. LOOKE. 

